Conference Preview: SICL West

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BGM (5-18 last season, 74.6% of scoring returning): </strong>The Bears lost six games by single digits last season, so they were fairly close to finishing around .500. With their top three, and five of their top six scorers, returning, they'll have a chance to make a pretty significant jump in their record this winter. Senior guard Beau Burns (11.5, 6.0 rebounds) is a great athlete on the perimeter who can do a little bit of everything, while senior forward Ben Cadden (9.2, 7.3 rebounds) and sophomore guard Robby Tometich (7.3) give the Bears some additional scoring. This could be one of the deeper teams in the division and they should be much more competitive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Colfax-Mingo (2-19, 48.3%): </strong>The Tigerhawks lost Harrison Rhone to graduation, taking his 17.8 points per game with him. The good news is that the next three scorers return. The bad news is that those three averaged 4.4, 4.3, and 3.7 points per game last season, so it remains to be seen if there is an individual capable of becoming a go-to scoring threat. Juniors Wyatt Carpenter (4.4) and Jace Lewis (4.3), and senior Izaiah Lewis (3.7) are those top returnees, while sophomore Wyatt Jay (2.0, 3.4 rebounds) could be a candidate to take a jump this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HLV/TC (9-13, 31.4%):</strong> The Warriors lost both double-figure scorers to graduation, leaving senior guard Tucker Donaldson (7.8) as the top returnee. He's a good playmaker who can set his teammates up as well as get to the rim off the dribble, and he'll be asked to shoulder a heavy scoring load this winter alongside junior Sean McCulloch (6.2). Those two and senior forward Keegan Gorsh (1.3, 2.8 rebounds) are the only returnees with significant experience, so there will be a lot of new faces stepping into bigger roles in the rotation this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lynnville-Sully (18-6, 77.8%): </strong>The Hawks have been one of the most consistent programs in Class 1A over the last few decades, averaging 19.1 wins a year over the last 19 seasons. With the top two, and six of the top seven, scorers returning to an 18-win team, there is no reason to expect anything different this winter. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2886854' first='Dawson' last='James'] (12.8, 6.3 rebounds) is an undersized forward but a tenacious competitor with a non-stop motor. Guard Sawyer Veldhuizen (11.1, 44.0 3P%) is a great shooter, as is junior [player_tooltip player_id='2419827' first='Will' last='Van Vark'] (9.0, 35.1 3P%), giving them some really valuable floor spacing. Lynnville-Sully is always tough defensively, disciplined on both ends of the floor, and they're going to be deep, balanced, and talented. This is the team to beat in the division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Montezuma (20-4, 63.2%): </strong>Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765506' first='Brady' last='Boulton'] (28.2, 4.8 assists, 4.4 steals) returns to lead a Braves team that will battle it out with Lynnville-Sully at the top of the division this year. Boulton is an electric scorer, posting 51-43-91 shooting splits last season while also leading the team in assists and steals. He's a quick, talented guard who can really shoot it from the 3-point line. Junior wing Dane Strong (7.9) gives them another scorer alongside Boulton, while some players who saw limited action last year - senior Luke Brennan (2.9), junior Easton Hudnut (2.8), and sophomore Kaden Latcham (1.6) - should step into bigger roles alongside the Boulton-Strong tandem. The Braves had a North Mahaska problem last year, with three of their four losses coming to the Warhawks, and the fourth coming to a really good 2A Albia team. With the North Mahaska graduation losses, they shouldn't have the same problem this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Mahaska (21-4, 17.3%): </strong>North Mahaska is averaging 18.8 wins a year over the last five seasons, and despite losing over 80% of last year's production to graduation, this is a program that has pretty consistently proven that they can be competitive. They lost their top four scorers to graduation, with seniors Trenton DeBruin (4.9), Jaxon VanDerVeer (3.8), and Dane Van Mersbergen (2.6) as the only returnees with much experience. That trio will be asked to carry a heavy load while a bunch of newbies fill out the rest of the rotation, and while they probably aren't going to contend with Lynnville-Sully or Montezuma at the top of the division, they're still going to be very competitive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Lynnville-Sully<br>2. Montezuma<br>3. North Mahaska<br>4. BGM<br>5. HLV/TC<br>6. Colfax-Mingo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>This is probably a two-horse race between the depth and balance of Lynnville-Sully and the star power of Montezuma. Montezuma swept the season series last year, but both were close games, and with more coming back for Lynnville-Sully, we're giving the Hawks the edge. Both teams are capable of making deep postseason runs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765506' first='Brady' last='Boulton'] (Montezuma): </strong>Boulton is one of the most dynamic scorers in the state, regardless of class. He's a fantastic shooter off both the dribble and the catch, a skilled playmaker, and a tenacious, feisty defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765506' first='Brady' last='Boulton'] (Montezuma)<br>2027 Dane Strong (Montezuma)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2886854' first='Dawson' last='James'] (Lynnville-Sully)<br>2026 Sawyer Veldhuizen (Lynnville-Sully)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419827' first='Will' last='Van Vark'] (Lynnville-Sully)<br>2026 Jack Bowlin (Lynnville-Sully)<br>2026 Connor Deal (Lynnville-Sully)<br>2026 Trenton DeBruin (North Mahaska)<br>2026 Beau Burns (BGM)<br>2026 Ben Cadden (BGM)<br>2028 Robby Tometich (BGM)<br>2026 Cole Mumm (BGM)<br>2026 Keaton Kriegel (BGM)<br>2026 Tucker Donaldson (HLV/TC)<br>2027 Sean McCulloch (HLV/TC)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->